Defending arthouse film through branding and advertising

As a filmmaker by origin, my attention has been drawn to more than just film in recent years. I immersed myself in various facets, ranging from animation to interactive art, from video installations to shaping film plans and pitches. But why? Although I find film to be a beautiful product due to its artistic storytelling power, I am disappointed that it often does not extend beyond the white screen or a screen. I often found the process of creating the entire experience around the film, from pre-production to post-production, much more intriguing. I always dedicated a significant amount of time to refining the concept and wasn't hesitant to pitch it. Hence, I gravitated towards the role of a creative, a common position in the commercial field but relatively unknown within fiction film. While film often distances itself from commerce, I believe that budget cuts in arts and culture, as well as the new opportunities presented by social media, make thinking about film branding and advertising more important and accessible than ever. Therefore, in addition to my work as a creative in the commercial field, I decided to conduct research into the potential role of a creative within fiction film during my final year of study. I applied my research to my graduation film "Sous vide," which I made in collaboration with Misja Overberg (Director) and Sam Vroom (Producer). As a creative in fiction film, I focus on aspects of branding such as determining the positioning and visual identity, as well as considering advertising and devising campaign strategies and social media content to build a brand experience around the film that others want to be a part of, with a focus on financial resources, collaboration, and societal significance.